New Rabies
by JamieTyler
Summary: A virus leeks out from Genomex with near devastating effects for the team. Kind of a three or four short story I've been working on for awhile. Should be posted pretty fast, but no promises.
1. Chapter 1

**New Rabies**

Brennan

We didn't even know what the damn thing was, much less what it did.

Ok, well that's not entirely true. We knew that it was a virus and that it had escaped from Genomex. We knew that Ekhart had a hand in it and whatever the reason for its creation wasn't going to be pretty. We knew that we had to stop it, but what the hell do you do against nothing?

See, every mutant that had been infected, all ten of them, had nothing happen. They didn't get deathly sick, or grow horns and a tail or even develop dangerus mutations. Nothing happened, nothing at all. Adam even quarantined them all in one of the safe houses for a week and still nothing. Never in my life have I been so paranoid about nothing.

So after their week was up, each of the new mutants were allowed to go on their merry way and we were left scratching our heads trying to figure out what the hell blindsided us. And that's when Jesse pointed out that none of the infected mutants had been feral.

Turns out that was the key.

When the virus infects a feral it sets off a chemical reaction that basically makes them crazy. Combine an injured predator, an angry mama bear, a territorial cat, and a hormonal woman and you're about half way there. The exposed ferals went ballistic! One moment they're perfectly fine, the next they're hunting down and killing any new mutant in their 'territory'. It was not pretty, one fuck of a mess, and guess who had to clean it up.

It was bad…. taking a feral on, there's like a thirty to seventy chance of victory on a good day. Taking a feral on when they're exposed to the 'New Rabies' virus is like trying to stop an act of god with toilet paper. And did I mention the best part? The ferals get so enraged and so violent that the adrenalin produced explodes their heart. Needless to say, we were taking on these ferals without Shal, making things just that more a pain in the ass.

Adam's been working on a cure at some lab owned by Jesse's grandfather, he almost has one; Emma's bringing him the last thing he needs. I hope they hurry, because it's all going to hell here. Jesse's locked himself in the med lab with Shalimar, who, despite our best efforts, has been infected, and is past the point of rational. She's trying to kill him, Jesse, her 'cub'. And the only damn thing I can do is sit here and watch as my lover tries to sooth the savage beast with out getting killed.

Jesse's not doing well. He can't take much more; Shal's beating the crap out of him. He can barely stagger to his feet and there's not a damn thing I can do about it. I'm getting familiar with this helplessness stuff since meeting Jesse. I was helpless to keep him from Eckhart, I was helpless to save him from his father, I was helpless to save him from phasing away…. yup, it's a nice long history developing here.

I try the door again, and again I've found that Jesse did a perfect job of smashing it to bits. Even zapping it has no effect. And to add to it, Shal just tossed Jess across the room like he was a rag doll. And I can't see if he's getting up.

"Damn it Shalimar, It's Jesse!" I yell, not knowing what I could do. I know she can't hear me through the glass, not to mention the virus. But I can't help it. I can't stay quiet. I can't lose either of them and that's exactly what I'm watching happen.

I told Jess that Adam was on his way. He had a cure and he was coming fast. I told Jess to hang on. I told Adam to hurry the fuck up.


	2. Chapter 2

Jesse

I can see Brennan watching us. The look on his face is a mixture of anger and helplessness, and it breaks my heart. I know he's frantic, but there's nothing I can do about it. Someone has to keep Shal under control and I smell more familiar to her then Brennan. Besides, he just can't take a beating the same way that I can.

An enraged growl turns my attention back to the dangers in front of me and I just barely dodge the glass bottle she throws. It shatters against the wall and I can feel the shards hitting the back of my neck as I take the impact of Shal's body, massing just enough so that neither of us are hurt. I take her down, pinning her under me and holding onto her even as she tries to break free, and once again try to reach her.

"Shal…it's Jesse, you're going to be alright…. Adam's on his way. We're gong to take care of you…you're alright…."

None of it worked and she tossed me off her, scampering off to the other side of the room to hide. I let her go, I needed a moment to catch my breath. We'd been at it for nearly an hour and the ach from the constant use of my powers and adrenaline was starting to take its toll on me, and this on top of the fight at the wear house.

The fight at the wear house was bad. We were out numbered by more then usual, we were down Emma because Adam needed her, and no Shalimar. Bren and I were doing well at first, even cracking jokes, but things wet to hell in a hand basket with a pretty red bow damn fast….

"_So what were you saying about being home in time for dinner?" I heard Shalimar tease Brennan over the COM. Her words were teasing, but I could hear the frustrated undertones._

_Brennan could hear it too but he tried to keep things calm as he dodged GSA after GSA, "So it's going to be a late diner…."_

"_Bren, behind you," I called just before I had to do a round house to get the two behind me. I caught a glimpse of electricity and knew Brennan was still up and then focused on my own fight. It wasn't going so well. No matter what I did, they kept coming, an endless supply of muscle._

_Hit, kick, swing, hit, swing, kick, hit, hit…that was basically how it was going until all at once the GSA left. Brennan and I exchanged confused looks, quickly tightening up back to back and looking around. _

"_Shal, what's happening?" I asked, knowing she was taped into the security cameras and satellite imagery._

"_I don't know…hang on…" was her frantic reply. We didn't have long to wait though, before Shalimar could give us an answer the fire sprinklers went off and we were drenched._

We know now that the agents never intended to take Brennan and I, they were just delaying us. They wanted us drenched in that damn virus so that when we went back home and as our clothes dried it would become air born and infect Shalimar. And that's exactly what happened. We took the damn thing home to her and it's our fault that she's infected.

But I don't have time to dwell on it. Shalimar is coming at me again and I have to move. Brennan told me that Adam was on his way, he had a cure and he was coming with Em. He'd be here any moment. God I hope so because I can't take much more of this phasing and massing. I can feel my energy failing and with every hit I take, I know I'm losing ground.

If they don't get here soon it's quit possible that Shal will kill me.


	3. Chapter 3

Adam

I should have known. I should have… those two, they always… Ever since the beginning they've always tried to go down together. Doesn't matter if it's one killing the other, just as long as they go down together.

Jesse, the smartest, most talented young man I have ever seen in all my years, and he does something so stupid! Locking himself in a glass cage with a injured and crazed feral! What the hell was he thinking?!

When they called and told Emma and I what had happened… the fight at the warehouse, the sprinklers, the contaminated clothing, and Shalimar's infection…. To say my heart stopped would be a lie. It exploded.

I have seen what this virus does, and it is far worse then I could have imagined. It suppresses any and all humanity in a feral. It taps into their primal desires and makes them their only desires. They turn on strangers, friends, family, anything and everything that they see is a threat until the virus kills them.

I have the cure here, right here in my hands. Emma is guiding the Helix because my hands are shaking. Have been since I Brennan told me that Shalimar was infected. Have been since he told me that Jesse had locked himself in the lab with her. What the hell was he thinking?

"Their brother and sister, Adam. He was thinking he needed to save his sister," Emma says softly. "They're family. Family dies together, always."

She was right, of course. That was Shal and Jess to a t. They are as true family as any blood or DNA could make you. And if the situation had been reversed, if it was Jesse who was infected, Shal would have done the exact same thing. But God, doesn't he remember exactly how powerful she is? Exactly how much damage she can do?

"And don't you remember exactly how strong Jesse is? And exactly what he is able to endure?" Emma said again. And I relies just how loudly my thoughts are projecting, but at the moment I'm too panicked to scared. Yes, the world's greatest scientist panics.

"An hour Emma, he's been at it for an hour. And this after a fight," I say, trying to keep my voice calm and level. I can't lose it. I have to hold it together.

"He has a higher endurance then anyone of us. He'll push through. Have faith, we're almost there."

Faith. I have plenty of faith in Jesse. I know how strong he is. I know what he can handle and what he can't. I've seen him pull himself together, latterly, from the brink of falling apart. I know Jesse can 'push on,' but an hour. An hour, after a fight. Even Jesse has his limits, and I don't know how much he can take.

And what about Shalimar? How badly is her blood pumping? How much more can her heart take? How far gone is her mind? This magical, fix all, cure I've made, will it save her? Will I lose my 'daughter' tonight? Will she kill my 'son'? And if she does kill him, if we don't get there in time to save Jess but we can save her, what will she do? How will she handle it? Is there anyway to heal her if she kills him? Would it be better to let her die by the virus so that she would never know?

"Don't even think that Adam. Don't you dare play God," Emma snaps at me, and I know she's right.

I'll save them if I can. I have too, that's my burden. Save them, then fix them. I have to do that because I created them, and because I love them.

Brennan's voice comes over the COMs, harsh, frantic, and panicked; "Hurry the fuck up Adam!"

God what the hell am I going to find at Sanctuary?


	4. Chapter 4

Emma

He wouldn't play God. I know he wouldn't, but the thought of it! God just the thought of it! How would you even consider…?

Because Shalimar, a sane Shalimar, would kill herself before she would even think about killing Jesse. Before she even thought about hurting him or any of us. Shalimar is the kindest, most tenderhearted person I know next to Jess. She… she cares deeply for everyone… well, almost anyone. Heaven can't save you if you hurt her family. She would tear anyone and anything apart, move heaven, hell, and earth to save one of us. And for Jesse, for Jesse she would tear time and space apart if she could to save him….

And what did Jesse think that he could accomplish, locking himself in there with her?

"No one can take a beating like me Em;" he said that to me once.

He said it with a smile and a shrug. It was right after my first mission in the filed… I had watched some one hurl him into a cinderblock wall and then proceed to beat him, and I was sure he was going to be dead. But he took it, the beating, and waited for an opportunity and attacked.

"No one can take a beating like me, Em."

Damn it Jesse! You're not invincible! There are others who care about you! Bren is there watching you die!

Don't think it, don't even… He's going to be fine.

She's going to be fine. They'll both be fine. You're not going to lose your family, not like this.

God, I hope you're right Jesse. I really hope you're right. You better not die, you better be ok. Because if you die, there's no point to saving Shalimar. She'll end up killing herself. Damn it Jesse, you better be alright, and you better make sure Shalimar is alright.

The hanger is coming into view now. I'm not a good pilot, not like Brennan or Shalimar. Hell, even Jesse is better at this then I am. I hope I can hold the Helix steady enough…God I hope I don't crash.

I'm so not prepared for all of this… Brennan's fear and heartache… while we were at the lab he had too sit there and watch… he… Jesse's getting desperate. His bodies growing weaker…he's exhausted… There is no Shalimar…none that I can sense, or have ever sense before… there is a rather large and rabid animal however… Adam's anxiety is sky high…how do you chose? How do you play God with your children?

Don't think it, don't even think it! Land the damn plan Emma and get to the lab. Just shut up, buck up, and get it done…

But God, I wasn't prepared for this….


	5. Chapter 5

Brennan

Emma just told me that they've landed, and in fact I can hear their frantic steps racing down the halls towards me now. Does it reassure me that they're here? Does the fact that the cure is only steps away reassure me at all? Does it keep me from yelling Jesse's name as I watch him tackle Shalimar?

No.

"JESSE!" I hit the glass once again. Wishing it would break. Wishing that I was the molecular who could phase through and grab him. Pull him back here, back to me, back where it's safe. But I'm not, and I can't. All I can do is watch as Jesse and Shal roll around on the floor.

I can see the signs of weakness in both of them. Shalimar's frantic; by now her feral mind has picked up on the fact that she's sick. Maybe even that she's dying. And it's clear in the way that she's fighting and struggling that she's growing more and more scared. Jesse is just a mess. He's hurting, pretty badly. I suspect that he has a few cracked rips, and the long gashes down his chest aren't looking too good. I can also see how tired he is, how that tiredness has slowed him down. So much so that he let's Shalimar land on top of him….

"Brennan!" Emma yells, but I don't take my eyes from the scene before me. I'm to transfix by what's happening. Did Shal just hear Jess? Did she really just pause?

And then…oh God…NO!

Jesse

The thought occurs to me that this just might be the worst idea I have ever had…and then Shal is on me again, pinning me to the ground. I have no choice, I mass just as she tries to claw my face, and I hold the form. She screams at me as she continual claws my face, unable to do any harm. Except that I'm suffocating.

Somewhere in the distance I can hear Brennan yelling my name, yelling that Adam's here. But the sound is so far off, and I'm so close to passing out that I barely understand what he's saying. It seems like forever, but Shalimar finally gives up her attack and retreats to regroup. And I take the moment to breathe and climb back to my feet.

I'm hurt. Bad.

Shal has all but gutted me these past few minuets and starts dance in front of my eyes. But worse, so much worse, is what the virus is doing to Shal. I can hear her heart beating, no joke. I can almost see it beating out of her chest. Her time's up and I only have one more chance at this…if I don't do something now she won't make it until Adam get's here.

Taking a breath, I tackle the feral, just as she lunges at me. I hear Brennan yell my name again as Shalimar and I crash to the floor and begin to struggle. We roll around, the broken glass scattered around the floor cutting into my skin and stealing even more of my strength. But I refuse to give up. I will not lose Shalimar.

She manages to get on top of me and she's going for my throat, unsure if she should strangle me or rip my throat out. I manage to hold her off, just far enough to keep her from hurting me too much, and I try to reach her again.

"Shalimar!" I yell, not liking how weak my voice sounds, "Shalimar please!"

And there it was, the sign I had been looking for this whole time. There was a moment of recognition in her, a moment that her mind broke through the feral side of her and saw me. It caused her to pause in her attacks long enough for me to breath again. But it was a fleeting moment, and soon she was at it again. Still, I pushed on.

"Shalimar, please…I'm trying to help you…I just want to hel—"

And then what I knew might happen from the beginning happens….


End file.
